Background checks are becoming more and more frequent across all sectors of employment so no matter your role it is ever more likely that you will need to undergo a screening process.

In many cases the background check itself can directly impact whether you will be successful in your job application especially when looking into senior positions or positions that require a level of trust.

To ensure a reliability and comprehensive level of screening is completed many companies will now look to outsource this process to a trusted third party with an expert team such as the team here at The Background Checker.

The most important person in any of these checks is yourself as the potential candidate. We have included some further details below that may be useful.

Do your research

Make sure that you have double checked your own records such as formal documents from previous employers or email communications of start and end dates, this will allow you to provide accurate dates and have a good knowledge of the correct references that you can pass on.

This also allows you to cross check the dates you may have sat on an old CV or a LinkedIn profile as accuracy in this process is key.

Set expectations

If you are unsure on any elements such as specific dates or job titles it’s always best to explain this from the start so that you can set expectations and not mislead your future employer or the background checking company.

Going hand in hand with this element is also to provide details of any gaps such as prolonged holiday or career breaks so the knowledge is already on your submission and you won’t be chased for further details, therefore making the checking process faster and more efficient.

Documents

Any documents that would be required for your specific checks should be clearly requested upon your submission process these typically can be a proof of ID, right to work document and a proof of address. Other documents that may also be useful to have ready to provide would be education or professional qualification certificates as this can greatly assist in the screening process.

Honesty

Be honest from the start. If you have anything that may appear from your past or present that you think an employer may look down on its often best to be honest and open from the start. For instance, it would be a smart choice to disclose any criminal records or CCJ’s – this will allow immediate decisions to be made if there is a specific no tolerance policy, however many companies will allow for these but this is on the basis that they are informed at the start of the process.

Social Media

With social media coming under more and more scrutiny from employers it is important to self-screen this or make elements private that you would not want a potential employer to see. If it is in the public domain then this can be used within the screening process.

The perfection is hard to come however with this guide you can take those first steps needed to create a fast and efficient process to complete your screening process.

If you would like any further information or advice prior to a screening process please do reach out to our team.